Ukraine launches operation against Russian 'plan to divide country'
Ukraine has launched an "anti-terrorist" operation against pro-Russian separatists occupying government buildings in many of its eastern cities
Police arrested 70 pro-Russian demonstrators in Kharkiv on Tuesday, as protesters in two other cities held similar standoffs. Ukrainian authorities gave few details of the "operation that cleared the building in the town of Kharkiv but said two police had been wounded by a grenade that was thrown.
Ukrainian special forces in combat gear, helmets and balaclavas and carrying machine guns stood guard early outside the building. A partly destroyed sign near the main door read: "Avakov - to jail", a reference to the Ukrainian interior minister, Arsen Avakov.
Avakov made mention of the operation to clear the buildings on his Facebook page: "An anti-terrorist operation has been launched. The city centre is blocked along with metro stations. Do not worry. Once we finish, we will open them again."
The Interfax-Ukraine news agency quoted the interior ministry saying those detained were suspected of "illegal activity related to separatism, the organisation of mass disorder, damage to human health" and breaking other laws.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/08/ukraine-russia-plan-divide-country-operation
= new reply since forum marked as read
